The Fourth of July is a time to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life to enjoy barbecues, fireworks and time with friends.
But the question of what to play at your Independence Day celebration can be a tricky one.
You may have already added songs like Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A.," Katy Perry's "Firework," or the Guess Who classic "American Woman" to your playlist. Or perhaps you've taken a more current route and are listening to Childish Gambino's new anthem, "This Is America," or Sting and Shaggy's "Dreaming in the U.S.A." Still, to help you round things out, here are a few patriotic numbers you may have forgotten to help you celebrate the holiday.
(MORE: Netflix has a lineup of family and patriotic films to watch on Fourth of July)“America” – Simon & Garfunkel (1968) This anthem, taken from the album “Bookends,” perfectly captures a couple trying to find themselves in the midst of a journey. Its classic, soaring melody creates a sense of open-ended optimism.
“American Girls” – Counting Crows (2002) Taken from 2002’s “Hard Candy,” this is easily Counting Crows’ bounciest and most glee-filled single. Sheryl Crow’s background vocals further add to this song’s beach-ready brightness.
“American Soul” – U2 Featuring Kendrick Lamar (2017) This is U2’s rallying cry to the country featuring a sermon-like intro from Kendrick Lamar.
“Bleed American” – Jimmy Eat World (2001) This thunderous alt-rock classic is a hard-hitting anthem to the American work ethic. Perhaps it contains a touch of menace, but it will get the party started.
“4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” – Bruce Springsteen (1973) This is one of Springsteen’s best tracks, anchored by a strong sense of lyrical detail and thick with romanticism. You can almost feel the boardwalk breeze as you listen.
“American Baby” – The Dave Matthews Band (2005) This song is full of emotional tension and tight orchestration. Perhaps it is more intense than bright, but it sounds downright cinematic in its approach.
“Kids in America” – Kim Wilde (1981) A synth-pop anthem to youthful boredom, this hit from Kim Wilde became essential listening in the early '80s. Blending a danceable beat and a seething punk attitude this song (in either version) still packs a punch.
“American Girl” – Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (1976) All you have to do is hear the first few seconds of the guitar riff and you’ll no doubt be filled with a sense of youthful enthusiasm. Few songs are this iconic.
“Little America” – R.E.M. (1984) Supposedly named after a Wyoming rest stop, this song, in its own way plays like the tour diary of band exploring little venues across the nation. The song is littered with Michael Stipe’s famous (and missed) cryptic beat-poetry and its lyrics make mention of their longtime manager Jefferson Holt when Stipe sings, “Jefferson, I think we’re lost.” This closer to their second full-length album, “Reckoning” shows a time when the band were exploring every corner of this vast country in a tour bus.
“4th of July” – Aimee Mann (1993) Still a budding singer-songwriter, Mann delivers this semi-bummed out gem where she watches a fireworks display and describes it as “a waste of gunpowder and sky.” In the eighties, she had success as the leader of “Voices Carry” by her band ‘Til Tuesday. This track foreshadows her great work on the “Magnolia” soundtrack, six years later.
“4th of July (Fireworks)” – Kelis (2010) Taken from her 2010 dance album, “Flesh Tone,” this house-minded track compares an exploding sense of passion to fireworks on the Fourth of July. She doesn’t mention the title until the end of the track, but that absence builds tension. Her meaning is clear and the build serves its purpose.
“4th of July” – Soundgarden (1994) If you want something darker and murkier for your Independence Day celebration, this semi-apocalyptic “Superunknown” deep cut brings the power as Chris Cornell sings about seeing lights in the sky, declaring, “I thought it was the end. / I thought it was the 4th of July.”
“Fourth of July” - Sufjan Stevens (2015) If you haven’t heard Stevens’ 2015 album “Carrie & Lowell,” be prepared for a tearjerker as Stevens recalls the summers he would sometimes spend with his mother and his stepfather. The song is about death. In fact, it is a conversation with his mother as she is dying, but the airy, hushed piano line, brings forth a sort of hazy nostalgia, to the point where you can picture the brief, fun moments of the summer.
R.O.C.K. in the USA (A Salute to 60’s Rock)” – John Mellencamp (1986) Meant as a tribute to the songs he grew up with, this track sounds like a strange nod to Neil Diamond’s “Cherry Cherry” with its solo playing like a send-up to the Troggs’ “Wild Thing.” It is cheesy, for sure, but its built-in nostalgia and its shouted chorus of “R.O.C.K. in the USA” seemed to destined to be played at patriotic parties for decades to come.
“United States of Whatever” – Liam Lynch (2003) This is a comedic track with a punk-like energy. It clocks in at just over 90 seconds and yet as ridiculous as it is, the track is undeniable.
“The Star Spangled Banner” – Jimi Hendrix (1969) In some camps, Hendrix’s playfully deconstructed version of our national anthem is polarizing, but you can’t deny its sheer power. As we approach the 50th anniversary of Woodstock and find ourselves once again in the midst of politically uncertain times, this radical performance still holds a great deal of heft.
